Quick answer: A delay on a U.S. domestic flight usually does not create an automatic federal right to cash compensation. If EU261 or UK261 covers the flight, you may qualify for a fixed amount when you reach your final destination at least 3 hours late, unless the airline proves an extraordinary circumstance. EU amounts range from EUR 250 to EUR 600. UK amounts range from GBP 220 to GBP 520. Refunds, meals, hotels, and expense reimbursement are separate rights.

First, identify which rule applies

The departure airport, arrival airport, operating airline, and booking structure matter more than the airline brand or where you bought the ticket.

The European Parliament's passenger-rights factsheet gives a useful overview of European passenger protections. EU261 and UK261 are separate regimes after Brexit, so a flight from the UK to the EU is not automatically covered by EU261 just because it lands in Europe.

Check the operating carrier on a codeshare, not only the company that sold the ticket. If a connection was booked as one reservation, the delay at the final destination usually controls. Separate tickets are normally treated as separate journeys.

When EU261 or UK261 pays fixed compensation

You generally need all of these conditions:

1. The route falls within the relevant regulation.
2. You reached your final destination at least 3 hours after the scheduled arrival time.
3. The delay was not caused by an extraordinary circumstance.
4. You had a valid reservation and met the airline's check-in requirements.

The arrival delay is measured at the final destination, not simply by how late the plane left. For a connecting itinerary on one booking, record the scheduled and actual arrival at the last airport. In practice, arrival is usually measured when at least one aircraft door opens, not when the aircraft touches down.

A flight that leaves 3 hours late but reaches the destination only 2 hours and 50 minutes late normally does not meet the fixed-compensation threshold. A cancellation or denied-boarding incident follows separate rules, so don't automatically use the delay table for those situations.

EU261 compensation amounts

For a qualifying delay, the standard EU amounts are:

Distance is generally based on the great-circle distance between the relevant airports. When an airline reroutes you, it may reduce compensation by 50% if the replacement journey gets you to the final destination within the applicable time limit. The limit is 2 hours for the shortest band, 3 hours for the middle band, and 4 hours for the longest band.

The fixed amount does not depend on the price of your ticket. It is normally assessed per eligible passenger. Treatment of an infant without a separate paid seat can differ, so check the fare and booking details.

UK261 compensation amounts

The UK Civil Aviation Authority's delay guidance lists these amounts:

The airline can avoid fixed compensation when it shows that an extraordinary circumstance caused the delay. A rerouting offer can also affect the amount. If the payment does not match the distance or arrival time, ask the airline to show its calculation.

Meals, hotels, and refunds are separate from compensation

EU261 and UK261 require care during a long wait, even when the delay does not qualify for fixed cash compensation.

Care can include reasonable meals and refreshments, communication, and a hotel plus transportation when an overnight stay is necessary. Ask the airline for a voucher or arrangement first. If it doesn't provide reasonable care, buy modest necessities and keep itemized receipts.

Care is not a luxury budget. Premium hotels, alcohol, room service, and unrelated purchases may be rejected. Fixed compensation does not require receipts, but a claim for food, lodging, or transport expenses does.

If the departure delay reaches 5 hours or more under EU261 or UK261, you can generally choose not to travel and request reimbursement for the unused ticket. For a connecting journey, you may also be entitled to transportation back to your original departure point when the trip no longer serves its purpose.

What counts as an extraordinary circumstance?

An extraordinary circumstance is an event outside the airline's normal control that could not have been avoided even if reasonable measures had been taken. Examples can include:

• Severe weather that makes the flight unsafe
• Air traffic control restrictions
• Airport closures
• Security risks
• Political instability
• Some external strikes

The label alone is not enough to explain a denial. A weather event may affect one part of a journey while a later mechanical or staffing problem causes the remaining delay. Ask the airline to identify the exact event, the time it affected the flight, and how it caused the delay.

A technical problem is not automatically extraordinary just because it was unexpected. Routine aircraft maintenance issues and ordinary operational decisions are often treated differently from hidden manufacturing defects, sabotage, or terrorism. Strikes by airport or air traffic staff can also be treated differently from strikes by the airline's own employees. The facts and applicable court decisions matter.

Even if an extraordinary circumstance removes fixed compensation, the airline may still owe care, rerouting, or a refund under EU or UK rules.

U.S. flight delays: refund rights are not compensation

For a domestic U.S. flight, there is generally no federal requirement to pay passengers a fixed amount merely because the flight arrived late. Airlines may voluntarily provide meals, hotel accommodation, travel credits, or other assistance, particularly for delays within the airline's control. Those promises can differ by carrier, so check the airline's contract of carriage and customer-service policies.

U.S. Department of Transportation rules generally require a refund when an airline makes a significant change or delay and you choose not to accept the alternative itinerary. The rule generally treats an arrival at least 3 hours later on a domestic itinerary or at least 6 hours later on an international itinerary as significant, although other changes can qualify too.

That refund is not a delay-compensation payment. If you accept the rebooking and take the flight, don't assume you can later demand a federal cash payment or a ticket refund. Keep the original booking, the alternative offer, and any written explanation if you decide not to travel.

A U.S. traveler may still have EU261 or UK261 rights on an international itinerary if the route and operating carrier meet those rules.

Montreal Convention claims for international delays

The Montreal Convention can apply to international carriage when a delay causes a provable financial loss. It does not create a fixed payment based only on the number of hours you waited.

A Montreal claim normally needs:

• An international journey covered by the Convention
• A specific financial loss
• Receipts or other proof of the amount
• A clear connection between the airline's delay and the loss
• Consideration of the Convention's liability limits and defenses

Extra costs such as necessary hotel, transport, or replacement arrangements may be relevant, but stress, inconvenience, and the value of a missed vacation are not the same as documented financial damage. A Montreal lawsuit generally has a 2-year time limit, which is different from an airline's customer-service deadline.

Do not use Montreal as a reason to request the EU261 EUR 600 schedule. They are different types of claims.

How to file a delayed-flight compensation claim

1. Save evidence

Keep copies of:

• Booking confirmation and ticket receipt
• Boarding passes
• Flight number, date, and operating airline
• Delay or rerouting emails and text messages
• Screenshots showing scheduled and actual times
• Evidence of arrival at the final destination
• Itemized receipts for food, lodging, and transportation
• The names of every passenger making a claim

Save the documents before an airline app removes old trip information.

2. Check the final arrival time

Write down the scheduled arrival and the time the aircraft door opened at the final destination. For a single-booking connection, record the delay at the last airport rather than only the late departure of the first flight.

3. Identify the likely cause

Use the airline's messages, airport notices, and your own records. If the airline says the cause was extraordinary, ask for a specific explanation. "Operational reasons" by itself does not tell you whether the delay involved weather, air traffic restrictions, a technical issue, or a crew decision.

4. Calculate the correct amount

Use the route distance and the applicable currency. Don't combine EU261 and UK261 amounts or claim the same fixed compensation twice. A separate expense claim can be added for reasonable care costs that the airline failed to provide.

5. Submit the claim to the operating airline

Use the carrier's official complaint or passenger-rights form. A travel agency or booking website may have to handle a ticket refund, but the operating airline is usually the right recipient for a flight-delay compensation claim.

A concise claim is easier to assess. You can adapt this template:

Subject: Flight delay compensation claim - [flight number] - [date]

Dear [airline],

I was a passenger on [flight number] from [origin] to [final destination] under booking reference [reference]. The aircraft door opened at [actual time], compared with the scheduled arrival time of [scheduled time]. The arrival delay was [hours and minutes].

I request [EUR 250, EUR 400, EUR 600, or the applicable UK amount] per eligible passenger under [EU261 or UK261]. If you deny the claim because of an extraordinary circumstance, please identify the specific event, its timing, and how it caused the delay.

I also request reimbursement of [currency and amount] for reasonable care expenses that the airline did not provide. The itemized receipts and travel records are attached.

Passengers: [names]

Please confirm receipt and provide your written decision at [email address].

Regards, [name] [contact details]

Don't include unnecessary passport copies or payment details in an ordinary email. Use the airline's secure payment or claims portal when available.

Deadlines and follow-up

There is no single EU-wide or global deadline for every delayed-flight claim. The applicable court limitation period can depend on the country whose law applies. A 6-year period is often cited for many claims in England and Wales, but it does not apply to every country or UK jurisdiction.

The UK government's Air Passenger Travel Guide says that after you complain to the airline and remain dissatisfied, or receive no response within 8 weeks, you can consider an alternative dispute-resolution route when one is available.

Submit as soon as possible instead of relying on a generic "2 to 6 years" estimate. A claims company, regulator complaint, or airline negotiation may not pause a court deadline. If the claim involves the Montreal Convention, remember its generally applicable 2-year court limit.

Give the airline a reasonable date for a response, such as 14 days, but don't present that as a universal statutory deadline. Keep a copy of the form, attachments, and confirmation number.

What to do if the airline denies your claim

Escalation routes

• EU, Iceland, Norway, or Switzerland: Contact the relevant national enforcement body for the route. It may investigate compliance, but it may not order payment of your individual claim. Court or an available dispute-resolution service may be needed for the money itself.
• United Kingdom: Complain to the airline first. After 8 weeks, use the airline's approved ADR provider if it participates. AviationADR describes a process in which the airline is generally given 28 days to respond and the passenger then has 14 days to accept or reject the outcome.
• United States: A complaint to the Department of Transportation can raise a possible refund or disclosure violation, but it isn't the same as a private compensation award. For reimbursement, check the airline contract, travel insurance, and card benefits.
• Court or small claims: Confirm the proper defendant, evidence, filing location, and limitation period before starting. The operating carrier, rather than the booking website, may be the relevant party.

Credit cards, travel insurance, and claim services

Travel-delay coverage on a U.S. credit card is a contract benefit, not a statutory airline payment. It may require that you paid for the fare with the card, waited for a minimum period, and submitted receipts for eligible expenses. Travel insurance can have similar conditions, exclusions, and limits.

These benefits may supplement an EU261 or UK261 claim, but don't seek reimbursement twice for the same receipt. The insurer may ask what the airline paid or refused to pay.

A commercial flight-claim service can handle forms and correspondence, but its fee reduces your recovery. Before signing, check the percentage or flat fee, taxes, litigation charges, cancellation terms, settlement authority, and whether the fee applies to expense reimbursement as well as fixed compensation. For a clear EU or UK claim, filing directly with the airline usually avoids that cost.

Start with the operating airline's claim form. Record the final arrival time, save every receipt, and identify the rule before you accept a voucher or let a deadline pass.